* Some mild profanity
Okay, you know the drill. The characters aren’t mine, I’m just borrowing them, I’m not making any money out of them, blah, blah, blah…
Keep Me Guessing
By Sandra
"Bye Dan, and thanks again!" Diana Lynch waved as Dan set off down her driveway.
"No worries, Di!" Dan waved back. He smiled as he made his way down the long driveway, onto Glen Road, thinking about the events of the evening. Diana had called him up to take up his offer of helping her with her English assignment. He had been surprised. Surely Mart, with his love of big words, would have been the person to ask? Nonetheless, he agreed to help her, being the person he was.
There was also an ulterior motive. He wanted to know what was going on between Mart and Di. He had noticed some tension on the bus that afternoon, and being human, he was curious. After all, Mart was his best friend, and he hadn’t liked the looks he had been receiving from Mart that afternoon. Dan chuckled to himself as he recalled the bus ride, sitting next to Diana, which was always a pleasure, Mart getting jealous, Mart falling on Trixie.
Trixie. The thought of her removed the smile from Dan’s face. Having reached the log cabin he lived in with Mr Maypenny, the Wheelers' gamekeeper, he walked in quietly, aware that the old man was asleep. His stomach began to churn, full of fear. What if Mart told Trixie what he said? What would she say? Would she laugh? Would she tell everyone else? What would the rest of the Bob-Whites say? Would Jim hate him? Everyone knew that Jim and Trixie had special feelings for each other. However, to his knowledge, that had never progressed further than bracelet exchanging, hand holding, and fond smiles. Would Brian hate him? He wasn’t sure what Brian would do, being somewhat protective of his sister. Even though Trixie didn’t need much protection. Dan went to the fridge, and pulled out a bottle of juice. He smiled as he poured it into the glass, and thought of the scrapes Trixie had gotten herself into, all in the pursuit of bad guys and justice.
Having finished the cold juice, he walked quietly upstairs, wanting nothing more than to sleep. But he knew that tonight, it would be different. Sleep was not going to be easy. If for no other reason than because he was scared of what he would face the next day. He was NOT looking forward to the bus trip the next morning. Having changed into boxers and an old t-shirt, his normal sleeping attire, he crawled into his warm bed, not even wanting to think about what had been on his mind the last half hour.
How the hell did he get himself into this mess? Why on earth had he told Mart that he was interested in Trixie? Oh yeah, sure, he was helping Diana. God knows why, she was gorgeous on enough on her own to need any help from him. But spending that evening with Diana, he realised that underneath the beautiful face, was a very insecure girl, especially where Mart Belden was concerned. Diana knew that despite her looks, her wealth, and her friendly personality, she was not that intelligent. She had thought for a long time that Mart would never be interested in her, that he really wanted someone who could match him verbally, someone who wouldn’t confuse metaphors, someone smart. That afternoon, Mart’s obvious jealousy had given Diana a ray of hope. So she had decided rather than make Mart more jealous, to nip this jealousy in the bud with a few simple words from Dan. About Diana. And about Trixie.
He shouldn’t have thought of Trixie again. There went the butterflies again. WHY did he say that? He wished he could physically kick himself. Hard. He didn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea. Especially Trixie. Oh yeah, he liked her. How could one not? She was everything most guys could ask for. Courageous, adventurous, truthful, upfront. Almost ruthlessly so sometimes. And beautiful to boot. And the fact that she didn’t realise this made her even more attractive.
No. He wasn’t going to think about it tonight. With a groan, he rolled over and blocked all thoughts of that evening out of his mind. He tried the age-old sleep falling method of counting sheep. And miraculously, it worked.
Dan awoke with a start. Morning. Damn. Bus. Mart. Trixie… He wasn’t looking forward to this. Not at all. However, he was not a coward. Life on the streets of New York City had taught him not to be. He might as well face it.
The wait at the bus stop was the longest he had suffered since his first trip to school, when he had ridden the bus with Mr Maypenny. The feeling of dread increased as he saw the bus approach. The doors opened, and he walked up the stairs. As he turned to see who of his friends were on, he breathed a sigh of relief. No one. They all must have gotten lifts. He was so relieved, he didn’t even feel offended that he hadn’t been offered a ride as well. He walked to the back of the bus, and was about to throw his backpack into an empty seat and sit down, when a blonde curly hair popped up from the seat behind.
"Found them," Trixie muttered to herself. She looked up and smiled at Dan. "'Morning, Dan."
Dan smiled back uneasily. "'Morning, Trixie." Suddenly he felt very sick. "Where is everyone else?"
"Mart, Brian and Jim went earlier today as they have some research to do in the library before school. I was going to go with them, but slept through the alarm. And Honey is not coming in today." Trixie opened her binder, and placed the notes she had just located inside. She then grabbed her belongings, and slid out of her seat. Dan pulled his bag onto his lap as she sat down beside him.
"Is she okay?" he asked.
"Stomach virus. She spent most of last night throwing up. Poor thing." She looked at Dan carefully. "Actually, I’m glad it’s just us two on the bus. There’s something I want to talk to you about.."
Oh, no. She knows. He told her. She’s going to confront me about this. She’s going to tell me she doesn’t like me any more than a friend. Hang on. What’s wrong with me? Why couldn’t she like me more than a friend? But sensibility took over from ego. Get a grip. It’s probably better that she doesn’t like me. But geez, how embarrassing!
"Dan. DAN!" Trixie sounded very annoyed. "Are you listening?"
"Um, sorry Trixie. What did you say?"
"I asked you, why on earth you told Mart you wanted to ask me out."
OUCH! Yep, ruthlessly upfront. How do I explain this? "Um, I have to explain some--…" But as usual, Trixie did the talking.
"I mean, you know Jim and I have ‘special feelings’ for each other, even if he hasn’t done more than hold my hand."
How long will this go on?
"But why me?"
Get it over with.
"Why not tell him you liked Honey?"
Dan’s head snapped up with a jolt. Eh?
"What did you say?"
Trixie rolled her eyes in an exaggerated look of impatience. She then repeated her question slowly and deliberately, as if speaking to a five-year-old.
"Why not tell him you like Honey?" Trixie watched his face closely. She wanted to see what kind of reaction she got.
"Huh? Why would I?" Dan knew he was in troubled waters here. He wasn’t sure what to say, as he knew denying it would be futile, Trixie would see right through him.
Trixie looked him straight in the eye. "Because you do." As Dan opened his mouth to protest, despite its futility, Trixie continued.
"Come on, Dan. It’s me. Ace Detective, Schoolgirl Shamus, whatever you like. You think I could solve those mysteries, yet not realise that you like my best friend? What kind of detective would I be?" Trixie smiled. She knew she had him.
Dan relented. "Okay. You got me. I like Honey." He suddenly began to feel defensive. "So what? Is there anything wrong with that?" He was about to continue when he saw Trixie’s raised eyebrows. "Ah, yeah, I guess there is. Brian."
Trixie snorted. "Brian? My brother? Don’t worry about him. I know, there’s been a few special looks between those two as well. But let’s face it. He’s three years older schoolwise, two agewise, but personality-wise? My brother’s an old man. Don’t get me wrong, I love him to death, but he’s a bit too serious. He’s too…," Trixie thought for a moment, searching for the right word which would adequately describe her brother without putting him down, "…mature."
"But Honey is too," Dan argued. It was one of the things he liked about her.
"Yeah, in a way, but I think at this stage, Brian is too old for her. He’s sixteen, and going to college next year. Honey’s fourteen, and still doesn’t know what she wants to do." This time, Dan raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, I know we’re going to have the detective agency together, but I’m not sure if that’s what she really wants to do. I mean, she is always there to back me up, and will always see my side of things when no one else will, but sometimes I think she’d rather be a detective in an office giving orders rather than chasing crimes."
Dan had to agree with Trixie’s summation of her best friend. He found it difficult to see Honey flatfooting after criminals.
"So, Brian is not really an issue." Trixie smiled, clearly enjoying this conversation.
Dan returned her smiled, relaxing at last. He was glad actually to get this off his chest, to talk to someone about it. He never thought this would be Trixie. Suddenly he found himself telling her almost everything.
He had liked Honey from the very beginning. She was the first person who smiled at him when he arrived, the first person willing to give him a chance. Not because she was asked to, or expected to, but just because that was her nature. And it wasn’t because she thought he was good-looking, either.
At this point, he and Trixie smiled at each other, as they remembered Diana’s flattering eyelashes that first lunchtime in the lunchroom. Dan continued.
When he had realised that he was attracted to Honey, he backed off. He tried to avoid spending time with them. The fact that he couldn’t make many of the trips the Bob-Whites had taken due to work made it easier.
"But why avoid her?" Trixie was confused. She knew that Brian wasn’t an issue, and couldn’t see Dan’s problem. So he liked Honey. So what?
"Don’t you get it? Think about it, Trixie. Honey is rich. She has a rich family, generations of rich families. I spent time on the streets. I was this close to ending up in a juvenile detention center. Until I came here. And got this job working with Mr Maypenny."
It finally dawned on Trixie what Dan was getting at. "Working for her dad. But what’s wrong with that? You know we’re all equals in the Bob-Whites. You work just as hard as us Beldens, if not harder. Does it matter whose daughter she is? She doesn’t see you as any different just because you work for her Dad."
Dan shook his head. "Trixie, wake up to the real world. Where the Bob-Whites are nothing more than an after hours club doing good deeds. I’m the employee. She’s the boss’ daughter. If something were to happen between us, her parents would never accept it.
"And why would she even be interested in me?" Bitterness crept into his voice. "After all, I’m just the wild street kid. Apart from my uncle, I have no family. No family history either, not like you Beldens. I mean, you’re not rich, but your family has lived in that house for generations. That’s history." As Trixie went to protest, he continued, silencing her. "I’m not going to be a doctor, or open a school for orphans. I’m not that bright. What on earth can I offer her?" Dan leaned his head against the bus window, as it continued its journey to Sleepyside Junior-Senior High School. He turned to face Trixie. "Why should I even bother trying?"
It was at this point that Trixie realised the extent of Dan’s feelings towards Honey. They were stronger than she had ever suspected. And the bitterness she heard in his voice. Who would have thought that quiet Dan, with a world of experiences that Trixie could never hope to imagine, could harbour so much feeling, pain, insecurity and love? He had not only held back because he feared rejection from Honey and her family, but because he felt he wasn’t good enough for her. That she deserved better. Trixie could see where he was coming from. But she didn’t agree with him.
And somehow, she guessed that Honey wouldn’t either.
"Why should you try, Dan? Do you want to go through life wondering what if? Yeah, maybe Honey says no. Or maybe her parents would crack up about it. But maybe they won’t. Did you think about that?" The look on Dan’s face told her that he hadn’t even considered it. "In the last year or so, you’ve proven yourself in so many ways. If we didn’t know about what happened before Sleepyside, we would never guess where you were heading."
Dan nodded. He could see her point. But that didn’t make it any easier. He still didn’t think he could do anything about his feelings for Honey.
"Dan, you should go for it. Ask her out, no wait, I have a better idea." Trixie’s blue eyes shone, as she smiled with excitement. Dan smiled at her enthusiasm. He was beginning to feel better. Maybe she was right. He had to give it a try. He didn’t want to wonder the rest of his life "what if…"
"Okay. On one condition"
Trixie looked surprised. What. Did he want her to ask Honey? No way, he could do that himself.
"You have to take your own advice. You yourself said that nothing much has happened between you and Jim. Ask him out." Dan’s smile issued a challenge to Trixie.
As Trixie opened her mouth to protest, she thought the better of it. Why not? She was sick of these fond looks and special feelings. If someone else remarked but her and Jim’s special feelings, which had amounted to NOTHING happening between them except an ID bracelet, she would scream.
"Deal." Trixie and Dan shook hands as the bus pulled into school. As the bus stopped, they both stood up and gathered their possessions.
"Meet me at lunchtime and we’ll talk strategies," Trixie ordered.
Dan saluted. "Yes, sir."
Giggling, Trixie walked down the aisle.
As he followed her, a thought occurred to Dan. "I can’t believe Mart told you what I said."
Trixie smiled sheepishly. "He didn’t. We picked up the phone at the same time. He had been in such a bad mood last night that when I heard it was you, I wasn’t in too much of a hurry to hang the phone up. Sorry for eavesdropping."
Dan wanted to be angry at Trixie’s lack of scruples, but couldn’t. After all, she had helped him. "That’s okay, Trix. This time."
They both walked to their lockers. Dan whistled. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad after all.
A knock on the door woke Honey up. She had fallen asleep on the couch, while watching Oprah. She waited for Celia or Miss Trask to open the door. The second knock reminded her that they had gone out to do some shopping. Darn. She would have to answer it herself.
Still feeling nauseous, she walked slowly to the door. As she opened the door, her pale blotchy face broke out into a beautiful smile. Maybe being sick wasn’t so bad after all.
The End